Urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction and other pelvic floor disorders are common problems afflicting people of all ages, genders, and races. Various muscles, nerves, and organs within the pelvic floor cooperate to collect, store and release urine and fecal matter. Likewise, various pelvic muscles, nerve and organs support proper sexual function. A variety of disorders may compromise pelvic health, and contribute to incontinence, sexual dysfunction or pain. Many of the disorders may be associated with aging, injury or illness.
In some cases, incontinence can be attributed to improper sphincter function. For example, aging can often result in weakened sphincter muscles, which causes incontinence. Some patients may also suffer from nerve disorders that prevent proper triggering and operation of the bladder or sphincter muscles. Nerves running though the pelvic floor stimulate contractility in the sphincters. A breakdown in communication between the nervous system and the urinary or anal sphincter can result in incontinence or undesired retention.
Therapies for treating incontinence, pelvic pain, or sexual dysfunction include delivery of electrical stimulation. For example, delivery of electrical stimulation from an implantable medical device to nerves in the pelvic floor, such as the sacral and pudendal nerves, may provide an effective therapy for various pelvic floor disorders. As one example, electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve may modulate and afferent nerve activities to restore urinary function. As another example, electrical stimulation of the nerves innervating pelvic floor muscles may strengthen pelvic floor muscle and promote urinary continence.